planetf1.com

Take a look at the "rocket" looking tube left of the driver's head. I'm assuming it is the air intake since it is not integrated with the roll hoop like on F1 and GP2 cars. Can someone confirm this? There isn't too much F3 content here in the US, so I got curious when I saw a picture.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition - 2013 Edition
Best Finish: =2nd Monaco 2011
Current 2013 Championship standing: I don't even want to say... 79th

That is air intake I think for the engine.
F1 cars have it on top of the driver. These on the side due to nature of engine and car design I suppose.

Air Intake yes...
I was hoping it would fire missiles : (

.....i can't understand why they didn't put the intake somewhere that would make the car ugly !

It's the air intake...no big deal, they already had it more than 30 years ago...

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I'm a racing driver. Always was, always will be.

It must be an F3 'thing' because I remember seeing it on F3 cars over 20 years ago at Donington. I've always wondered why it's like that.

EDIT: As the picture that Porsan posted while I was writing my post, they've had it even longer than that!

Does anyone know why F3 cars have the intake on the side when (as far as I know) no other single seater formula does?

I have always liked the look of them, its like a rocket on the side of the car

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition
Best Round Result: 1st (Monaco 2012)
Podiums: 4
2013 Championship Standing: 78th

My understanding of it has always been it's also a restrictor to keep engine power parity between all the cars to a certain extent.

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Disclaimer: The above post maybe tongue in cheek.

"I thought I'd get your theories, mock them, then embrace my own. The usual."

^^ I was about to query why the intake aperture appeared so small.

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o·ver·rat·ed - overestimation of skills or abilities, anything that is given too much credit and hype.

Cheers guys, thanks for the confirmation.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition - 2013 Edition
Best Finish: =2nd Monaco 2011
Current 2013 Championship standing: I don't even want to say... 79th

Formula Three cars have a production block of 4 cylinders, 2 liters, and an air intake restrictor of 1.0 inches (26mm). This is the bottleneck in getting power, and every attempt is made to get as much air as possible to flow through that tiny one inch hole. The intake is very carefully shaped to maximize airflow, And they stick it out on the side to get as clean an airflow as possible, free from surface boundaries and turbulence. The entire air intake system is also exposed, and easily available to inspection by the sanctioning body to make sure no one has some hole or allowed leakage into the intake system past the restrictor.

I wish it was a missile. Mario cart style

They have been on a few different formula cars over the years.

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Driver Instructor & Test Driver

It's the engine construction and having one bank of cylinders that's led to the very assymetrical design people aren't used to seeing in Formula 1, GP2, Indy, CART, Champ Car, etc. I see nothing wrong with it. Just different.

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[ Kimi Raikkonen ]
2007 Formula 1 World Drivers Champion

I always used to ask my dad if those cars were faster because of the rocket strapped to the side of them, and he would always tell me "no, Formula 1 cars are the fastest in the world", I would still be like.... not sure if I believe you... that thing has a rocket on the side of it.

And that was in the mid 90s, I think the F3 cars have always been this way. Think it was Formula 3000 back then though?